Prague is the biggest visitor magnet in the Czech Republic, and once you’ve spent a few hours in its old and atmospheric streets you’ll understand why.
But venture beyond the capital and you’ll find gorgeous national parks, forgotten castles perched atop wooded valleys, awe-inspiring gorges and caves and all with the Danube flowing through the heart. It’s a place for city breakers and nature lovers both.
The heart of Bohemia
The spires of Prague tell the story of its medieval past, and you can feel the history seeping into your bones as you walk across the 14th-century Charles Bridge.
Wander on to the street markets of the Old Town Square – especially at Christmas – and view the tomb of St Wenceslas at St Vitus cathedral – a place of worship that took 600 years to build.
Prague Castle is one of the world’s largest and most spectacular, built on the site of an earlier fortification from the 9th century. Stroll through the extensive grounds and, once inside, try to piece together the various reconstructions and adaptations made to this incredible place.
There’s been a food renaissance in Prague since the Velvet Revolution too. You can still find goulash in plenty of places, but a new breed of chef are doing fresh things with local produce.
At La Degustation Boheme Bourgeoise, try pumpkin with Prague ham and whipped cream followed by trout with almonds. Or book well in advance for Divinis, for roe deer saddle or veal osso buco with gremolata.
Under the earth
To see some of the extraordinary natural beauty of the Czech Republic, make a beeline for the Punkva Caves, north of Brno.
You’ll see four-meter-long stalactites and sheer gorges when you park up and explore on foot. Discovered in the early 20th century, the caves are a delight, and a tour includes a motor boat ride in an underground river that opens into the Masaryk Dome, perhaps the highlight of the complex.
The jewel of the south
Cesky Krumlov, in the far south of the country towards the Austrian border, is an utterly astonishing little town that feels like Prague’s tiny brother. Its houses follow the banks of the Vltava in fairy tale fashion, all overseen by the old castle.
Originally built in the 13th century, it got a Renaissance makeover between the 16th and 18th centuries, but many of the older elements are preserved. The gardens, museum, chapel, masquerade hall and portrait gallery will all enchant, but the Baroque Theater, the largest in the world, is the undoubted pinnacle.
Car rental in the Czech Republic means you can find all of this for yourself, a time machine into Europe’s grand past as well as its bright future. From the preserved town square of Telc to the mountain ranges hiding waterfalls, there’s much more to see throughout the country.